Chemotherapeutics kill tumor cells by interfering with various stages of the cell division process. There are a number of classes of chemotherapeutics including alkylating agents (e.g., cyclophosphamide, carmustine, cisplatin), antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 5-FU, gemcitabine), cytotoxic antibiotics (e.g., doxorubicin, mitomycin) and plant derivatives (e.g., paclitaxel, vincristine, etoposide). Chemotherapy is also used as a primary treatment for leukemias, other blood cancers, and inoperable or metastatic solid cancers.
Current chemotherapeutic agents suffer several problems, including limited efficacy, debilitating adverse side effects and development of multidrug resistance.